Registration in Russia

[roro]

Hi, fellow travellers,

I'm just arriving in Russia, an d reading the LP guide, I can't be sure if it is mandatory to be registered every night ( we are planning to stay 6 or 7 days in Russia ).
This question because we are planning to make 2 or 3 bivouacs on oor route.
RR.

[steven]

It's been a while since I was in Russia, but I just read up on it and the rules seem still the same. First off, If you'll be in Russia for less than seven business days, you don't need to register at all. For example, if you arrive on Saturday, August 6th, and leave on Monday, August 15th, you will not need registration because your stay only covers six business days.

If you stay longer, stay in a hotel or hostel the first night, they will register you. I think the law is now quite relaxed about registration and you do not need to worry about random police checks unless you are peeing against the fence of Putin's dacha (true story!).

[roro]

Thanks a lot Steven for your quick and accurate reply!

[Biscotte Adventures]

Hello
Just spent 3 months driving and bivouacing around Russia. With 2 entry/exit. Last date in Russia 13 October 2015.

Never registered, was never asked.

Apparently if you stay in hotels, the hotels take care of it.
Chris

[RansNL]

Hi!

I'm in Russia at the moment and I only stayed with people I know or couchsurfed, so no hotel stays. I didn't register my visa because I didn't stay in one city for more than a few days. I heard it should be fine if I keep all my traintickets so I can prove that I travelled all the time and didn't stay anywhere for more than 7 days. Is there anyone who can confirm this?

Thanks!

[steven]

This is what I replied before, I think it is still valid:

It's been a while since I was in Russia, but I just read up on it and the rules seem still the same. First off, If you'll be in Russia for less than seven business days, you don't need to register at all. For example, if you arrive on Saturday, August 6th, and leave on Monday, August 15th, you will not need registration because your stay only covers six business days.

If you stay longer (in Russia, not in 1 city), stay in a hotel or hostel the first night, they will register you. I think the law is now quite relaxed about registration and you do not need to worry about random police checks. Maybe just at the border, but check with a Russia-specific website to be sure.

[olmo]

Sorry, bit late, but since we wondered about this also: In November/December, we spent about two weeks in Russia on the Transsiberian. We got a little worried when our passports were checked on the street in Irkutsk (no problem, and we believe they were just bored), and it was still the 7th business day of our stay in Russia. We had stayed in simple accomodation or with friends and hadn't seen any registration papers, so we asked our guest house in Irkutsk to register us and they were kind enough to do so.

No one asked to see that piece of paper at the border in Naushki (towards Mongolia) however ...

[sakara]

Same experience.3 months in Russia 2016 from Murmansk to Vladiwostok. Including hotels, hostels, couchsurfing and wild camping. Although all hostels and hotels needed the passports only one gave us an officially looking registration slip (there were not used to foreigners). Noone ever wanted to see that paper and while exiting (ferry to korea) no one asked. I wouldnt worry about registering as long as you dont stay more than 7days at one place. And even then the chances that anyone cares are minimal. The days that russian policemen and borderguards harrass tourists to get some bribes are over for some years now.